Virtual reality (e.g., Oculus® Rift, etc.) and/or augmented reality (e.g., Google® Glass, etc.) head mounted displays (HMDs) are gaining popularity in the consumer marketplace. This technology has also been adapted in many professional applications, such as being implemented in training simulators or targeting systems. The primary goal of these devices is to provide visual information to a user wearing a headset, where the visual information appears as natural as possible. Such headsets aim to preserve good optical qualities such as image sharpness, expansive Field-of-View (FOV), accurate color reproduction, high refresh rates, and low latency. Current techniques for implementing such devices include: (1) utilizing a beam-splitter to present off-axis visual information as being received from an on-axis orientation; (2) utilizing freeform optics that leverage complex, aspheric surfaces implemented inside a prism to unify the functions of separate relay, magnification, and combining of a virtual image; and (3) utilizing a direct-view, near-eye display such as a display implemented as a contact lens that includes polarization-selective filters and a microlens array.
However, these current techniques have some deficiencies. The first major challenge is relaying an off-axis optical path to be received at the eye from an on-axis orientation. The various solutions to this challenge introduce distortions (e.g., geometric distortions, chromatic aberrations, replicated images due to diffraction, large spatial variation of optical performance, etc.), are limited to a small FOV that is different from the FOV of a human eye, do not support color information, lead to complex light engines for supporting accommodation cues, lead to eye aperture, size-dependent complex image formation techniques, and are restricted to a small eye box that enables a user to perceive the display. A more robust design is desired to correct or mitigate one or more of these deficiencies.